Pipe and casing tongs



L. L. RICHARD.

PIPE AND CASING TONGS. APPLICATION FILED JUNE23, 1919.

1, 35 1 2 l 7. Patelited Aug. 31, 1920.

INVENTOR TNESS d& 07 8 Y WWW 4 flaw/6 VABm/Z A TTOR NE YS LEROY L. RICHARD, or COALINGA, CALIFORNIA.

PIPE AND CASING TONGS.

Specification of Iietters Patent.

Patented Au 31, 19530.

Application filed June 23, 1919. Serial No. 308,052.

of California, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Pipe and Gasing 'longs, of which the following is a specilication.

lily invention relates to the class of pipe and easing tongs. The general object of my invention is to provide a tongs having a hinge by means of which the relation of the members it connects may be varied and adsteal to meet conditions desired; and although the invention may be used in any structure of this general type in which such variation and :nljustment of correlated nicmhenl are csirable, it is particularly intended for and finds a present use in the devices for handling \vellpipe or well-casing, such, as elevators and tongs, which comprise two or more sections or members hinged together, and which depend for their successful operation on the closeness with which they embrace the pipe or casing. F or the purpose of the present disclosure of my invention i shall describe my adjusting hinge in connection with a type of easing tongs in common use, though it is to be understood that I do not confine myself to its use and connection with this tool.

From the accompanying drawings and following description the nature, object and effect of my invention will be fully ascertained.

ln these drawings, I

Figure 1 is a plan view, of a casing tongs embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar plan showing the jaw members unhinged and separated, and the eccentric pintle of the hinge removed.

Fig. 3 is a section, enlarged, on the line 33 of Fig. 1, showing the adjusting hinge of the tongs complete.

The tongs here shown, exclusive of the hinge connection of its members, is one in common use, and disclosed in United States Patent No. 934,332 dated Sept. 14:, 1909. Said tongs comprises a handled stock 1, with a laterally inclined head 2, in which is carried the main jaw-member 3, and the com plemental j aw-member 4E. The inner end of the main jaw member has a sliding hearing by means of its pin 5, which plays in a slot 6 in the outer angle of the stock head, and a rotary pivotal bearing at 7 in said head at a point beyond the pin 5. The inner end of the complemental j aw-member a is slotted upon a removable pin 8 in the inner angle of he stock head. The outer ends of the two jawmembers are hinged together. In general, theoperation of a tongs of this type in screwing or unscrewing the casing depends upon the gripping eifect of the jaw members, due to the movement of the handle. The jaw members embrace the casing, and the reciprocative action of the handle tightens them and turns the casing, then releases them and returns to a new hold.

The effectiveness of the tongs depends to a great extent on the closeness with which the jaw members lit the casing. These mcmhers are subject to wear, both'in their inner circumference and in the hinge parts, and when this wear has progressed to a certain degree, the tongs will no longer operate and the parts become useless.

Furthermore, there is a degree of variation in the outside diameter of any size of casing and it is desirable to provide some means of insuring a close fit of the gripping members of the tongs or other device.

The special. purpose of my invention is to provide means for taking up the wear on the parts and to set up the proper relation of the jaws to the circumference of the casing.

The main jaw member 3 has its outer end formed with spaced ears 9 and 10, the upper ear 9 having a pintle-hole 9 and the lower car 10 having a pintle hole 10.

The complemental jaw-member 4 has its outer end to mod with a single car 11, provided with a pintle hole 11 which, as shown in Fig. 2 is elongated in the direction of the radius of the inner circumference of the jaw-members, in order to prevent undue distortion of said circumference in that direction, as the pintle member is turned, as here inafter described.

12 is the hinge-pintle, the head 13 of which carries a handle lei, and has seated in it a spring latch pin 15, which is adapted to engage the depressions 16 in the upper ear 9 of the main jaw member 3, Fig. 2, in order to hold the pintle when turned on its axis to any desired position.

The pintle 12 is formed with three successive Zones or sections 17, 18 and 19, which are seated in the holes 9, 11 and 10 respectively of the ears 9, 11 and 10 respectively. Sections 17 and 19 which engage the iii) cars 9 and 10 are concentric, while section 18 which engages the ear 11 is eccentric to sections 17 and 19 in such degree as will provide the desired latitude of adjustment of the hinged members. SectionlS of the pintle is so related in size and position to section17 that its circumference will not pass beyond the circumference of said section 17. Section 19 in turn is so related in that as the pintle is turned on its axis by means of its handle 14, the effect of the ec-' centric section 18 will be to expand or contract the circumference embraced by the jaw members.

The operation of my tongs is as follows: With the pintle 12 in position giving the maximum expansion, the hinged jaw-niembers are placed in position on the casing and readily locked by the pin 8. The pintle is then turned axially by means of its handle 14, untilthe proper relation of the jawmembers to the casing is obtained, and is held in that position by the latch pin 15, while the operation oi screwing or unscrewing the casing proceeds. After this, the pintle is turned to the position of greatest expansion, whereupon the jaw-members may be unlocked readily by taking out the pin 8, and removed from the casing.

It is obvious that any number of interfitting ears of the jaw-members and corresponding eccentric sections of the pintle may be provided, those here shown being the simplest form.

I claim:- 7

1. A pipe and casing tongs comprising opposing jaws having at one end interfitting ears with pintle sockets, an associated handle at the other end to effect the gripping and release of said jaws, an axially turnable pintle fitting said sockets and hinging the jaws together, the section of the pintle fitting the socketed ear of one jaw being eccentric to the section of said pintle fitting the socketed ear of the other jaw, whereby the turning of the pintle on its axis will vary the relation ofsaid jaws, and means for fixing said pintle in the position to which it is turned on its axis consisting of a latch pin interlocking the pintle and an ear of one of said aws.

2. pipe and casing tongs comprising opposing arcuate aws having at one end interfitting socketed ears, an associated handle jaw being eccentric to the section of saidl pintle fitting the socketed ear of the other jaw, and the socket of the ear in which the eccentric section of the pintle iits being elongated radially to the inner circumference of a the arcuate jaws, whereby the turning of the pintle on its axis will vary the relation of said aws without distortion oi their nner circumference.

3. A pipe and easing tongs comprisingopposing aws having at one end inter-fitting;

ears with pintle sockets, an associated handle at the other end to efiect the gripping and release oi said jaws; and an axially turnable pintle fitting said sockets and hing ing the jaws together, the section of the pintle fitting the socketed ear 01"- one jaw being eccentric to the section of said pintle fitting the socketed ear of the other jaw, the circumference of said eccentric section not passing beyond the circumference of the other section, whereby the pintle is readiiy insertible in the assembled ears and the turning of the pintle on its axis will vary the relation of said jaws.

4:. A pipe and easing tongs comprising opposing aws having at one end interfitting U ears with pintle sockets; an associated handle at the other end to effect the gripping and release of said jaws; an axially turnable pintle fitting said sockets and hinging the jaws together, the section of the pintle fitting the socketed ear of one jaw being eccentric to the section of said pintle fitting the socketed ear of the other jaw, whereby the turning of the pintle on its axis will vary the relation of the said jaws; and means for fixing saidpintle in the position to which it is turned.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LEROY L. RICHARD. Witnesses:

A. M. LoesnoN, LILA E. WASHBURN. 

